He became the overall individual champion in the Schools' National B Division Boys' gymnastics finals, winning five golds and one silver, but James Ang's sterling performance ended with him hobbling out in tears at The Chinese High School's gymnasium yesterday.

The CHS student was near the end of his parallel bar routine when his double-twist attempt caught him off-balance and worsened an already-injured right knee.

The anguished 16-year old recalled: "My feet had landed but my body was still in momentum, which put too much pressure on my right knee."

But his story had a happy ending when his score of 7.40 in the parallel bars cliched him the gold medal, edging out Geoffrey Tan of Raffles Institution, who took home the silver with 7.13.

James had to miss the floor exercise event for his school because of the injury, but captain Soh Zhiwen made sure he won the gold for his friend.

Said Zhiwen: "I was really depressed that James could not compete in the floor exercise. He really motivates me, so I decided I had to win it for him."

National gymnast Cindy Tan, 14, also gave a breathtaking performance when she won a gold for the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus in the girls' C Division optional event by executing a double back somersault.

It was the first time anyone had managed it in the championships.

Exclaimed a school's coach: "In gymnastics terms, that was a 'C' value."

Articles Courtesy of Straits Times, 18 July 1998
By Joseph Dawes